NPT News - June 2014

2014 Vento Event

On June 11th NPT honored Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), chair of the Senate Finance Committee and former chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee with the 2014 Bruce F. Vento Public Service Award at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. The Senator was recognized for his decades of leadership to protect and preserve our parks and public lands, including the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act of 2000, the expansion of the Fort Clatsop Memorial and the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.

Hundreds of Thousands of Students Celebrate KTP Day

A HUGE Buddy Bison thanks to all of our partners, collaborators and participants for supporting and promoting the 4th annual Kids to Parks Day! The wonderful success of this movement would not have been possible without your help! Here are some metrics that we are happy to report:

1,010,000 online hits for "Kids to Parks Day" (141% increase from last year)

NPT has partnered with NPS to acquire two critical parcels of land which will expand the boundary of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore near Gary, IN. The larger of the two parcels surrounds the park's visitor center which is currently outside the lakeshore. Funding to purchase the property has been provided by Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), a subsidiary of NISOURCE Energy. NPS will use this 27.5-acre parcel to develop trails adjacent to the visitor center with wayside exhibits on restoration methods being used throughout the lakeshore.

The second property (10 acres) is contiguous to the lakeshore boundary and would connect the 27.5- acre parcel to the lakeshore. A portion of the 10-acre property will be sold to the Discovery School -- a Buddy Bison school program partner. NPT will hold title to the remaining 32.5 acres until the NPS is able to modify the lakeshore boundary, and then donate them to be preserved as part of the national lakeshore when NPS is able to accept the parcels.

"The involvement by the National Park Trust in facilitating the acquisition of lands to protect the Indiana Dunes visitor center with funds from a donated source was critical to making the project happen. The speed, flexibility and focus that NPT provided enabled the National Park Service to seize an opportunity prior to the property being acquired for commercial interest," said Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Deputy Superintendent Garry Traynham.

Fort Stevens celebrates 150th Anniversary

Events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Fort Stevens and the defense of Washington D.C., are being held this summer from July 10 – 13.

On July 11-12, 1864, the nation’s capital was attacked from the north by 14,000 confederate troops under Lieutenant General Jubal Early. The center of the attack and the successful Union defense was around Fort Stevens and nearby Fort DeRussy, located near what is today Rock Creek Park. These forts were part of a system of defenses totaling 68 forts and 93 batteries connected by over 20 miles of trenches encircling Washington, making it one of the most heavily fortified cities of its time. The defense of Washington was also a historically interesting battle, with President Lincoln riding out to observe the battle on July 12, and being fired at by Confederate sharpshooters while walking the parapet. This marks the only time in American history that a sitting president was under direct enemy fire!

Fort Stevens is managed by the National Park Service and is located at 13th Street NW, Washington, D.C. Events sponsored by the Alliance to Preserve the Civil War Forts of Washington, D.C. in cooperation with the National Park Service are scheduled for July 10-13. More information can be obtained at the Alliance website.

National Park Trust helped preserve Fort Stevens in 2003 by acquiring and donating to the National Park Service 2 acres of land at the site. We are proud to have helped in the preservation of this park and pleased to highlight the events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the significant battle fought there.

One Day. Our Community.

The end of the school year is also the end of NPT's fiscal year. Please consider making a year-end gift today to support NPT and our mission and programs as we plan for this new school year. By making a donation to NPT you can help us advance our land preservation and youth education programs. We are hoping to raise $2,400 on June 19th through the Do More 24 campaign, and plan to use our funds to provide access to local, state or national parks for 240 underserved kids.